12 
The Management of Grass Land. 
Hence the connection of this subject with the great chain of rural 
economy, as also advancing to the yet distant but approaching 
standard of " commercial principles " in regard to the general 
tenure and culture of the soil. 
The folding of sheep upon dry soils under improvement is 
found to answer remarkably well, and its effects are visible for 
many years : it darkens the soil, as well as confers a stimulating 
dressing. The result is particularly visible on those situations 
which sheep select for their lair during the night — the dry warm 
banks or parts of the field that have been casually drained. 
Liquid manure, or compost that has been prepared with it, has 
also a good and similar effect upon pasture lands. In fact, any 
dressings that stimulate the growth of the herbage or decompose 
the vegetable matter have the effect of expanding and increasing 
the surface-soil to a great extent. This is very perceptible on 
stony soils, as the stones gradually disappear and become enve- 
loped by the rising soil accumulated by the numerous earth- 
worms and other minute insects thus set to work, and which brinsr 
up their burden of fine fertilizing earth, particularly when pastures 
are rested or cleared for a few weeks, after being heavily depas- 
tured with sheep. The heavy roller then admirably completes 
the work, and the improvement becomes fixed and permanent, 
provided care be taken to repeat the dressings for a few years. 
The soil under this process becomes closely assimilated to the 
rich soils that have been naturally formed or increased through 
former ages, and which are now properly designated the " rich 
old pasture lands;" it being evidently a work of time to produce 
those acquired rich and fertilizing properties. 
The cold or wet inferior soils are those resting upon subsoils of 
that nature, which have as yet been more or less neglected, as 
they hold out but little encouragement to the tenant occupier to 
improve them ; still by the application of skill and capital even in 
these soils important changes are effected. In the general 
management of these pastures it is usual, when unimproved, to 
stock them with young beasts or horses, and but rarely with sheep, 
as their herbage is of so coarse a nature as to forbid sheep being 
fed upon them. Those that have been drained are found im- 
proved, but in due proportion to the plan and extent of draining 
performed. 
Where shallow drains have been put in, ihe herbage is but 
slightly changed, as many of the aquatic grasses still remain and 
find support in the yet reachable watery subsoil, while those that 
have been properly drained at a greater depth show the good 
effects by the changed appearance, which by close feeding with 
cattle and horses become useful store land, particularly when 
attention has been paid to give them a top-dressing of lime, salt. 
